Sphere of Light
by SierraNightborne
Summary: Years after Meteor, Cloud finds himself drowning in his memories. With the push of a Materia hunting organization, Cloud begins a search for the 'forgotten materia' said to be able to grant a single desire of one person...but every wish has a price...
1. Chapter 1

(Author's Notes: This story is to be read as if Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children never occured. Several hours of planning and feeling is being put into this work as FFVII is my all time favorite of the Final Fantasy series. Thank you, and please enjoy.)

--DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy VII as well as all Final Fantasy titles do not belong to me in any shape, way, or form. Most of the characters and all of the world are from the original game and belong to Squaresoft/Square-Enix. It is from the bottom of my heart that I thank them for creating such a massive game with such an addictive storyline and lovable characters which is what drew me to finally write this story.--

Chapter One

Four years after the events of Shinra, Midgar, and the summoning of Meteor by Sephiroth, a man with an insatiable thirst for power and destruction, the world fell into an era of peace. Monsters continued to roam the lands, allowing AVALANCHE, the organization that fought to save the planet from Shinra, to continue its quest to keep the world safe. One member of AVALANCHE has placed himself in a state of retirement after the activation of Holy. Hanging his sword up upon a mantle in his home, he wanders the streets of Nibelheim, slowly fading into his own memories.

Sliding a black jacket over his shoulders and tightening his boots, he made his way outside into the chilly morning air. Children were playing as he passed through the town, stopping only once to look to the old well that stood in the middle of the town. With a quick huff, he brushed his spiky hair with his hand then continued up the street, passing the old Shinra Manor, long forgotten and now in a state of disrepair. He did not stop to glance upon the old building. He felt he had no need to gaze upon that part of his past. Instead, he slowly made his way up the path leading to the peak of Mt. Nibel.

He remembered this mountain all too well. He heard some voices and turned to see a young boy with blonde hair rushing up the path. He stepped to the side, his back against the mountain just as the boy rushed by. Behind him followed three young boys and a girl. He returned to the path and proceeded up. The path twisted and turned, becoming narrow in some spots that forced him to sidle along the wall. The voices of the children were again audible as he moved higher up the ledges. The area was cool, the air thinner. He zipped his jacket some to keep warm.

He was met with the old rope bridge. Looked even more fragile now than it had before. The children were playing on it. The blonde haired boy was halfway across while the girl stood just a few feet on the bridge.

"You don't have to do this, you know?" She shouted to the boy.

The boy looked back and shook his head. "It's the only way to prove I'm as good as Sephiroth!"

The girl let out a sigh and took a few reluctant steps toward him. "Who cares about Sephiroth?"

The wood began to creak and the boy began toward her. "You need to go back! The planks are starting to give."

"I'm not leaving without you." She shouted back.

The boy dove for her just as the planks below them gave. The man watched as both children fell. He rushed to the bridge to see that the planks that had broken were fixed, secured tightly by the sides of the rope railing. He backed up from the bridge and held his head for a moment. Their voices were in his head, calling for him, he could not stand it. He slowly made his way along the bridge, the wind causing it to sway. He took a step, the plank snapped in half. The man clung to the rope railing and looked down to see the fog that surely covered the true depth of the fall. He pulled himself up and quickly made his way along the bridge.

He continued along the path until he reached the fiery red metal that was the Mako Reactor. The reactor was no longer in use and had begun to rust. Pipelines that led into the earth itself had burst, allowing old runoff to slowly drip out of the reactor's core. He heard voices suddenly from behind him. He quickly turned and moved out of the way. His eyes shot wide open when he saw Sephiroth walk up followed by a man in purple, a Shinra soldier, the mayor of Nibelheim, and a young teenage girl.

"Keep her out here and stand guard." Sephiroth instructed before leading the SOLDIER officer and the mayor into the reactor.

"H-how?" The man stuttered.

The girl walked up to the Shinra officer and lifted her hat slightly. "You know, you can let me through. I'm really good at keeping secrets." The soldier shook his head. "Man!"

"What in the..." the man began to mutter, "...augh!" He cried, clutching his head.

The red light of the reactor surrounded him, his head pounded, his own heart could be heard. The back of his eyes burned as if acid had been poured into them. The voices grew louder, more and more frequent. The moaning, the shrieking of lost and forgotten souls.

"Papa..." The girl cried as she leaned toward her father. "Sephiroth?" She shouted. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he?" He tried to block out the noise. "Sephiroth...SOLDIER...Mako reactors... Shinra...everything..." The girl continued. "I hate them all!"

"No!" The man shouted.

He opened his eyes to see that his hand was clutching the handle to the reactor's door. He let go, pulling his arm back just as his left arm began to ache. He opened his jacket and looked at his forearm only to see that the scar that slid across it was hurting again. He grumbled and replaced his coat and began making the trek back down the mountain, trying to ignore the groans that filled his mind.

Back in the town, rushing around a kitchen, a woman wearing a tight white tube top and black short-shorts rushed around trying to neaten up the room. She brushed her bangs from her face and sighed. She threw her rag on the counter and dusted herself off before walking into the next room. It was at that moment, just as she was about to pick up an old picture frame, that her communicator went off. She made her way to the bookcase just a foot away from the bed across the room and picked it up.

"Tifa, here." She answered.

"Tifa, where the hell is Cloud?" A deep voice shouted over the communicator.

Tifa sighed, "Where do you think he goes to spend his day? He went up Mt. Nibel to the reactor."

"Damn! I thought you said you were working to get him back in the team?"

"Barret, it takes time." She argued. "He still beats himself up over what happened."

"Pssh! That's bull shit. What kinda sissy is he?" Barret huffed.

"Well, if you want him in the group so quickly, how about we take a different approach?"

Barret grunted before answering, "What you got in mind?"

"Bring the gang here to Nibelheim. Make him see what he is missing."

"I ain't gotta do anything that'll make me look like a sissy, do I?" Barret growled.

Tifa sighed, "No. Just come by and say you're doing a safety sweep."

"OK, but if this is a wild goose chase I'm gonna get ya."

With that, Barret hung up. Tifa stared at the communicator for a moment then glanced out the window. She sighed heavily, knowing that it was going to take quite a bit of work to make Cloud rejoin them. She threw the communicator onto the bed angrily and buried her head in her hands. She had been with Cloud for nearly three months now, trying hard to make him see all the things that he did not lose. The only things she received from him in response is silence in rejection and if it continued, she feared she would not be able to take it.

She lifted her head and looked across the room into the kitchen to the set of leather gloves that lay upon the tabletop. She stood up and slowly made her way over. The gloves had been folded, neatly placed and hardly moved. She lifted one of the gloves and examined it. The leather was worn, had several cuts in it and where the small metal plates were located the leather was turning white and was beginning to tear. She stroked them, remember all that she had done with them. She put them on and threw a few punches for fun. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, slowly opening and closing her palm to feel the leather against her hands.

"Having fun?" A voice asked suddenly, shaking her from her daze.

She turned to face him and gave a weak smile. "Cloud, you're home." He walked passed her, dropping his jacket on the side of a chair. "How did it go?" She asked.

He stopped and looked back at her then turned around. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Oh, no reason. I just thought that talking would make things better."

The house fell silent again, Cloud put his hand to his jaw then looked up to the ceiling. "I just can't get my head straight."

Tifa sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and looked up. "Well, how about we go out and do some practicing."

"What?" Cloud asked sharply.

Tifa jumped, knowing how much Cloud hated to spar with her. "Not for you, for me. Besides, you're not the only one that needs fresh air. I've been cooped up in this house all day trying to keep things neat." She stood up and tapped her foot.

Cloud shook his head. "I don't want to harm anyone."

"You won't."

"You don't understand, Tifa." He said as he turned his back to her. "You've never felt the pain of harming another."

"What?"

Cloud's head began to spin as the moans became louder. He shook his head to try and fight off the feeling. The room disappeared and he stood before a girl, her long brown hair tied back neatly by a pink ribbon. He covered his eyes, and shook his head again.

"Cloud! Snap out of it!" Tifa shouted, grabbing Cloud's shoulders.

Cloud jerked his head up and gasped for breath. His face was coated with cool sweat and he looked to see Tifa staring at him. He pulled away and looked out the window for a moment before nodding.

"OK. We'll practice."

Tifa sighed with relief then happily led the way outside town into the small field that rested beyond the gate. Cloud follows, reluctant yet willing in order to make Tifa happy. He thought back to when Tifa first arrived at his doorstep asking for him to rejoin AVALANCHE. She mentioned that they needed him. That without him, morale had fallen significantly and some were losing the will to continue fighting to save the planet. He had been cold to her, saying he did not care one way or another about the planet and that he wished he no longer existed to be use as a tool. He remembered that Tifa nearly cried that night and how bad that made him feel. His feelings for her had been romantic at one point but he had just about given up on the feeling of love. Past trauma he guessed was the culprit but he was not about to point fingers. It was too late for that.

"OK. We'll practice here." Tifa said happily.

Cloud looked around at the area. Nothing special. Green grass, a few dirt patches, he could see water off in the distance, but still nothing too special. He looked in the direction of town, they were a few mile away, not too far. Cloud returned his gaze to Tifa to see she had already began stretching. On the ground lay a jacket, it was not his, he knew that much. He grabbed his own jacket on the way out and still had it clutched in his hands.

"You're not going to get too cold, are you, Tifa?" Cloud asked.

"I don't think I will." She answered with a smile as she pushed herself up.

Cloud nodded and began to stretch. "If you say so."

Tifa begins to throw a few practice punches and kicks with a large grin across her lips. Cloud watched her for a moment and realized that combat really did make Tifa happy. She was not one to settle down, that was a known fact by everyone that laid eyes on her. She was always energetic, happy to help anyone that asked. He guessed that was one thing he liked most about her and the one thing he grew to despise as he had become a recluse.

"You ready yet?" Tifa said with a laugh.

Cloud got to his feet and nodded. "Sure."

Tifa took a relaxed battle stance, her arms up to allow easy guarding. "Would you like the first move or do you want us to random combat?"

"I don't care."

"Heh, you always say that. Random it is then. Free form, hand-to-hand combat." Tifa blurted out with a smile.

Cloud nodded, noticing that the sun was slowly beginning to set casting an orange glow upon them and the land. It reminded him of when Meteor was up in the sky. The land was in a consistent sunset. Staring death in the face only to feel as if time had stopped at dusk. Footsteps rose, running speed. Cloud snapped out of his daydream in time to see Tifa leap into the air and begin a dive-bomb kick. Cloud lifted his right arm to block. Her boot landed onto his forearm, stopping her. She kicked off with her other foot, knocking Cloud off balance and allowing her to back flip to face him again.

"Don't tell me you're losing your touch." She said with a laugh.

Cloud caught himself and readied his stance again. For some odd reason, as his heart-rate increased, his stress slowly left him. Why was battle making him happy? Tifa charged again, a large grin on her face as she raced toward him. Cloud widened the distance between his legs and braced. Tifa began to place most of her weight on one leg as she ran, Cloud prepared for another jump attack.

"Know thy enemy!" She said with a giggle as she began a flurry of punches.

The first few hit Cloud in the chest but he began blocking. Tifa dropped and began a kick attack. Cloud jumped back, then raced forward just as she was bringing herself up. He landed his first punch, square in the stomach, then followed with his knee, forcing her jaw up. He went in to push her back but she caught his hand and forced him forward enough to kick him from behind. Cloud fell forward, rolling then returning to his feet. Tifa had already began running toward him a nd managed to run up his back and, using his shoulders as a spring board, jump over his head. Cloud rushed in, darting left to right to make judging his movement difficult, then quickly slid, beginning a low roundhouse kick that struck Tifa just below the knee.

Tifa fell down, back first. She shifted her weight enough so that she landed on her shoulder blades, allowing a quick backward somersault so she could return to her feet. She wiped the dirt from her legs then gave Cloud a smile. She held her right hand back as a bright light began to resonate from it. Cloud stared at her for a moment before realizing what he had triggered. She rushed forward and threw another punch. Cloud moved both his hands in to intercept. Upon contact with her hands, the light erupted. Due to Cloud's attempt to contain the explosion, both he and Tifa were sent backward. Tifa attempted to catch herself after a few rolls but Cloud remained on his stomach after his tumble.

Tifa burst into laughter and looked over to Cloud and said, "I haven't used that in a long time."

"What was that?" He asked.

"The last technique I had to master." She stood up and dusted herself off.

"Oh."

Tifa walked over to where Cloud was lying and held out her hand for him and smiled. "Let me help you up."

Cloud looked to her for a moment then grabbed her hand. Tifa pulled him up to his feet and laughed at little. Cloud chuckled but only for a second. He picked up his and Tifa's coat, tossing hers to her. Tifa led the way to town, glancing up to the darkening sky as the stars began to pop into view.

"Hey, Cloud," Tifa said, "how would you feel about having visitors?"

"Visitors? Like who?" He asked as he put on his coat.

Tifa pulled over her coat, "Well, I got a call from Barret earlier today. He said that they are going to do a safety scan over Nibelheim tomorrow."

"Why? Nibelheim doesn't have any monsters."

Tifa shrugged. "You know how he is about things. Besides, I think it would be a good thing for them to do it."

"Eh, whatever."

"Well, I told them they could stay with us." Tifa continued. "I don't know when they'll arrive, but the whole group will be here."

"So?"

Tifa stopped and turned to him, stopping him from continuing. "You honestly don't care, do you?"

"Not like I can do anything. Let them come and do what they like."

"Cloud..."

"No." He interrupted. "I'm out of that group and I don't plan on joining again anytime soon. Just forget it."

Cloud stormed off into the town, leaving Tifa outside the gates. Tifa fought back the tears in her eyes and dug the communicator from her coat pocket. She flicked her wrist, opening the communicator's flip-top and began dialing Barret's communicator. It ran several times. Tifa began to think she should just hang up with a girl's voice came over the communicator.

"Yuffie? Is that you?" Tifa asked in confusion.

"Hmm? Tifa? Hi, Tifa!" Yuffie said happily.

Tifa sighed. "What is the status of the Highwind?"

"Status? What do you mean?"

"Your location?"

"Oh! OK. I'll check."

Tifa sighed, wondering how Yuffie could be on board a ship and not know where they were. Yuffie use to get air sick, so she guessed that not knowing helped her feel better. After a few moments of silence and shuffling, Yuffie returned to the line.

"Are you still there?" Yuffie asked.

"Haven't budged."

"OK. I just asked Cid. He said we just passed over Kalm village about seven minutes ago. We'll be in Nibelheim by morning if we keep up our current speed."

"Good. Tell Barret that Cloud is as bull-headed as ever if no more so." Tifa instructed. "He'll know what I mean."

"Cloud? He's there?" Yuffie asked excitedly.

"Uh, yeah. Well, he just left for home so he's not with me."

"Sugoi!"

"Y-Yuffie. He's not the same." Tifa tried to explain.

"Does he still have tons of materia?" Yuffie asked suddenly.

"Wha, I guess, but isn't all of his on the,"

"Great! This trip will be worth the hassle after all." Yuffie said happily. "OK, Tifa, I'll give Barret the message and we'll see you in the morning. Woo-hoo!"

"But, Yuffie, I," Tifa began only to be cut off by the click of the line being dropped. Tifa closed her communicator and shook her head. "This is seeming to be more trouble than I thought it would be."

Back in town, Cloud had made his way to the well and stopped. He stared at it for a moment then turned his gaze to the path leading toward Mt. Nibel. He sighed, his body feeling heavier than usual. He made his way into his house and fell upon his bed, his right leg hanging off one side.

"What is wrong with me!" He cries out as the wails return in his head. He clutched his head and rolled onto his side, his eyes clenched tightly as the noise grew louder. "Why are you in my head? What is this?" He opened his eyes wide to see a bright light shining before him. He looked down to see that he was floating. He returned his gaze up to see a hand reaching for him. He hesitated then tried to reach for it. His hand became but a few inches from the other hand when he awoke from the sound of the door opening.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had fallen asleep." Tifa said softly.

"Asleep?" He asked.

"Yeah. You looked asleep any way."

"Oh. I guess I dozed off and didn't realize it." He rubbed his head for a moment the looked to Tifa. "Sorry."

"For?" She asked.

"Hurting you."

She laughed a little. "If this is about the sparring match, I'm not hurt. It takes a bit more than a few hits to hurt me."

"No, it's for how I acted earlier."

"Oh, that. No problem." She said with a smile as she put her coat up. "It was nothing."

"Nothing." He said suddenly.

"That's right, nothing." She replied. "So, don't worry about it too much. Besides, we have to be up bright and early. They'll be here in the morning."

Cloud looked to her, "How early?"

"They didn't say."

He shook his head, "OK. I'll do my best."

She smiled and sat down in the kitchen. She stared out the window, slowly dozing off. Cloud watched her for about two hours then made his way out of bed and over to her. He looked to see if she had fallen asleep then carefully picked her up. He smiled and placed her on his bed, covering her up. He then walked over to the other bed and sat down. He knew that the day ahead would more than likely make or break Tifa. He had to do all he could to make her feel as though she could go back to the team. He fell onto his back and stared at the ceiling, he would keep his own routine. He'd wake up extra early, go to the reactor, then come back and see if the group had arrived.

He stopped and thought again. Perhaps, he should just skip out on his trip up Mt. Nibel. He had done it almost everyday for the passed three years. He nodded. He would stay home and greet the team with Tifa. That way, Tifa could have the little reunion she wanted. He closed his eyes and sighed, feeling a little better about himself now that he had a plan to work with. He knew this would make Tifa happy. He hoped it would at least.


	2. Chapter 2

--DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy VII as well as all Final Fantasy titles do not belong to me in any shape, way, or form. Most of the characters and all of the world are from the original game and belong to Squaresoft/Square-Enix. It is from the bottom of my heart that I thank them for creating such a massive game with such an addictive storyline and lovable characters which is what drew me to finally write this story.--

Thank you and please enjoy.

Chapter Two

Morning came with a loud roar as a ship soared overhead and circled the small town. The streets were soon filled with the few villagers that made up Nibelheim as everyone came out to see what the ship was doing. Cloud jumped up and out of bed to find Tifa was already outside. He threw on his coat and rushed out the door to find that everyone had crowded around the main gate. He rushed over just as the ship flew over the town again, passing over the gate and preparing to land. He found Tifa near the front of the crowd with her communicator open and running.

"What are you guys doing up there?" She snapped.

"Just giving a little show is all." Cid's voice came over the communicator with a laugh.

"A little show can give people heart attacks." Tifa protested. "Be careful up there."

"Hey, this is my ship. I'll pilot it however the fuck I want to." Cid said with a laugh.

Tifa sighed and shook her head then turned to see Cloud behind her. "Oh! Hi, Cloud. I didn't want to wake you."

"What's going on?" He asked scratching his head.

"Cid is showing off." Tifa explained.

"When doesn't he?" Cloud asked sarcastically.

The town waited anxiously, wondering if the ship was going to return over the town. Instead, the crew from the ship walked up the path and into the gates. Parents were hiding their children's eyes from Barret. His gun-arm shimmering in the light of the morning sun while his black vest, torn and tattered, did little to cover the stains on his white tank. Cid, tall and lanky, walked in wearing his pilot's jacket and slacks. His polearm clutched in his right hand and a cigarette between his lips. It looked like he had not shaved in two days but he seemed happy with it. Yuffie rushed in, her clothes were tight, primarily a body suit with a yellow sash for a belt. Tied to her back was a large pinwheel. She glanced around the crowd for a moment until her eyes caught glimpse of Cloud's hair. She squealed and charged for him, jumping into his arms.

"Cloud!" She exclaimed, her arms hugging him while secretly searching for materia. "I've missed you so!"

Cloud pulled her off of him and looked at her. "I see."

Vincent was the last to enter the town. The people scattered from the travelers, especially Vincent. His black and red attire and metal armor did seem a bit intimidating. Barret walked over to Cloud and looked him over for a moment.

"Man, you still a skinny ass. What use are ya?"

Tifa shook her head and sighed. "Well, at least you made it all right. I'm about ready to kick Cid in the balls for his piloting."

"Hey," Cid said as he took a puff off his cigarette, "not a damn thing wrong with my piloting skills. I'm the best there is."

Vincent looked over Cloud with solemn eyes and said, "Good to see you."

"Where is Caith Sith? And Red XIII?" Tifa asked.

Barret turned to her and smiled. "Can't trust that rodent anywhere so left him on the ship to watch the bird."

"Red XIII is in Cosmo Canyon taking care of his grandfather. He is not long for this world." Vincent said coldly.

"I see. Well, while you all are here, how about we go to Cloud's house?" Tifa offers with a smile. "I can go to the Inn and set up a room for you there if you like as well."

"Anythin's good so long I don't have to eat Yuffie's cooking." Barret said with a huff.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Yuffie snapped.

"Ok, right this way." Tifa interrupted and led the group to Cloud's home.

Vincent paused in front of Cloud and stared at him. Cloud gave Vincent a confused look.

"Why keep struggling?" Vincent said suddenly before continuing after the group.

Cloud stared at Vincent for a while after that. He was not sure what to think on the issue. Vincent is not a social person. He never had been, spoke even less than Cloud himself. That was saying something. Cloud followed them to his home and watched as they had fun. Tifa set up a room at the inn for them and began cooking large quantities of food for them. Barret spoke of all the adventures they have had since AVALANCHE had been reorganized and how much he had missed Tifa's cooking. Cloud did not care for the conversation, he just stared outside as the day went by.

Night fell and the stars shimmered as brightly as ever. Cloud made his way onto the roof of his home to stare up at the sky. This was something he often did, nothing new. He looked up to see that some dark clouds were slowly making their way across the sky toward the village. The daily weather had not hinted toward a coming storm but, then again, the village had not seen rain in nearly three weeks. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze against his face, soothing his mind.

"Cloud." Vincent's voice blurted out suddenly.

Cloud turned around to see Vincent's red eyes gleaming at him from the passage. Cloud returned his gaze to the heavens and nodded, allowing Vincent to continue forward.

"What brings you here?" Cloud asked suddenly. "I know it's not just a scheduled safety check."

"Hmm. You're smart. Why did you not let this on to Tifa?" Vincent asked with a grin.

"I don't want to hurt her." Cloud muttered lowering his head.

"To save someone from hurting by hiding the truth." Vincent remarked. "Does that not lead to the end you wished to avoid?"

"Wha?" Cloud asked, turning to face Vincent.

"You said you did not wish to hurt Tifa." Vincent explained. "Hiding the truth. Living a lie to preserve. Upon the realization that the life lead is a lie, would not she feel pain for you not being open to her?"

Cloud stopped to think for a moment then turned his back to Vincent, returning his gaze to the heavens. "I guess."

Vincent remained silent for several moments before saying, "I see now."

"What do you see?" Cloud asked.

"Aeris."

"What!" Cloud said, suddenly turning to face Vincent.

"Inside your gaze, behind those eyes. You long for her."

Cloud lowered his eyes and replied, "I miss her, yeah."

"Does Tifa know this?"

"No. I've been keeping that from her as well. It would tear her apart if she knew that I," Cloud cut himself off, his gaze back to the starry sky.

"Love her still?" Vincent stated, walking over to where Cloud was standing and following Cloud's gaze into the sky. "It's none of my business what you do with your life or with the people involved in it. I, too, know the pain of loss and with that I suppose I am no different than any man on this planet. Dead or alive."

"If you don't care then why butt in?" Cloud asked sharply, his gaze now focused on Vincent's dark figure.

There was silence for a moment, a pause which caused the air to feel thick with tension. Vincent turned his red eyes down to Cloud and said, "I am not butting in. I am simply warning you that your path may not go as you foresee."

Cloud shakes his head and stares of into the horizon. "We'll see, I guess. Nothing happens in this town; never has, never will."

Meanwhile, down in the house, Barret continues ranting about how ridiculous Tifa's efforts toward getting Cloud to rejoin have been and that she should consider the fact that he is not interested. Tifa, bull-headed as ever, refuses to let go on her whim. Yuffie, snooping around the dressers and drawers, secretly listens in as the two continue arguing.

"Damn, you know it ain't working!" Barret snapped.

"You don't know that." Tifa protested, shifting in her seat. "I may be nearing a breakthrough."

"Shi-! That guy, Ex-SOLDIER, ain't coming back. Jus' forget his skinny ass."

"Barret, you never let go before. Why let go now?"

"'Cause I ain't gonna waste time on the off-chance that he just may come back." Barret replied, standing up.

"What's stopping him from coming back?" Yuffie asked softly as she held up a pair of black boxers.

Barret shrugged. "Who knows what the hell goes on in his fucked up head?"

"I," Tifa fidgeted slightly before rising to her feet, "I know what is stopping him."

"Well, go on an' tell us. You been keeping it secret for god knows how long."

Tifa took a deep breath and crossed her arms, clutching the top of her jacket sleeves, "He wants to die."

"Wha!" Barret exclaimed waving his gun arm in the air angrily. "Why in the hell does that ass hole want that?"

"To see someone." Tifa said softly as she lowered her eyes to the floor. "He wants to see Aeris."

"Don't he know she's dead and gone? She's back with the planet now." Barret snapped. "He can't see her."

"Poor Cloud." Yuffie whispered as she continued fishing through the drawer.

"I don't think he knows about my knowing it. He talks in his sleep. I over heard him muttering something, asking someone not to leave. Several apologies. Some pleas. I heard it all." Tifa explained.

"An' you wanted to stay here? You know you ain't got no reason to stay around him." Barret said strongly.

"Look, I'll make a deal." Tifa continued. "If he refuses to join us tomorrow, I'll leave with you and never return here to see him."

"Heh, fine with me." Barret said with a growl. "Just remember. I don't like seeing you hurt. He keeps it up, I'll blow his fucking head off."

"Help!" A voice cries out from outside the house.

Barret, Tifa, and Yuffie rush to the window to see. Up on the roof, Cloud and Vincent peer over the edge just in time to see a child fleeing through the streets and a black, wolf-like creature following him in hot pursuit. Cloud jumped from the rooftop and into the streets below, landing just a few feet away from the window. Vincent follows shortly after Cloud, sending Tifa rushing through the kitchen and out the door.

"Cloud!" She shouts.

Cloud, heart pounding, dashes after the creature. The child races toward Shinra manor, the wolf creature's form seeming to contort with the light of the moon and stars above. Cloud forces himself to run faster, managing to catch up to the creature. The monster's eyes glow an eerie yellow. The pupil was hardly visible but stood out as a small red dot. Cloud kicked off the ground, then kicked off the wolf's head, allowing him to gain enough momentum to fly ahead of the creature and behind the child.

"Hang on," Cloud managed to say between breaths. "I've got you."

The child let out a shriek. The wolf readied to bite. Cloud dove forward, snatching the child in his arms just as the wolf began opening it's jaws to snap. Cloud then shifted his weight to the left allowing him to roll off center and out of the monsters reach. Cloud caught himself just in time to see the wolf shift directions and rush toward them. Dust flew up from the street as the wolf began a mad dash toward Cloud. Cloud braced himself just as the wolf let out a yelp. He opened his eyes to see Tifa standing a few feet away, her body crouched and ready to counter.

"Tifa, what are you," Cloud began.

"I'll take the child." Vincent's voice said suddenly as he pulled Cloud to his feet.

"Wha?" Cloud muttered in confusion.

Barret walked up, loading his gun with a grin. "This is our job. Not yours."

Vincent pulled the child from Cloud's hands and rushed onto the rooftops. Yuffie appeared on the scene, pinwheel in hand. Cid stood upon the well and puffed some on a cigarette before flinging it to the ground. The wolf, having regained its balance, examined the group that stood before him. Barret's grin grew wider, now knowing that the wolf was hesitant to act alone. The wolf raised its head and let out a strange, demonic howl. The wolf then vanished in flames before their eyes, the ground burnt where the wolf had stood.

"I could have handled that." Cloud protested.

"Look. We doin' the safety sweep. Not you. You ain't part of AVALANCHE anymore, remember?" Barret gloated.

Vincent shook his head to Cloud, releasing the girl from his arms. Barret moved to interrogate the girl but was met with nothing but tears. The child fled to a house where she was quickly let in. The closed door sealing off all chances of gaining answers. Tifa sighed, knowing that this would only make Barret more angry and quickly walked off. Yuffie made her way to the inn, knowing that sneaking around through Cloud's stuff while he was there would get her into a lot of trouble. Vincent, shrugged and made his own path toward the inn. Barret followed Cid to the inn, giving Cloud one final glare before completely turning his back to him.

Cloud scratched the back of his head in confusion then shrugged it off. Barret always did have attitude issues but Cloud would do his best to make sure that the temperamental man did not aim his frustrations toward him. After all, he had his own issues to think about. Cloud made his way through the streets, getting to his front door with the eerie feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced around, not touching the door until he felt certain no one was there. Not that it mattered much, he thought, it was a small town, everyone knew where he lived.

"Cloud." Tifa said as he walked in, her tone filled with surprise. "I wasn't expecting you home."

"Why is that? Did you think I was going to fight Barret?" He asked.

"No. Not really." Tifa said nervously. "I just thought, since it's nearly dawn, that you had gone to the reactor again."

Cloud looked behind her to see a suitcase filled with clothes. "What are you doing?"

"Um, Cloud," She began, "I'm afraid that I'll be leaving with Barret and the gang. I just can't take this any more." She turned her face from him. "Just standing here and watching you wither away. Day by day, a piece of you dies. Even though you can't tell, I can."

"Tifa, I," Cloud began, taking a few steps toward her.

"No. I've made up my mind, Cloud. I'm sorry." She said with a weak smile. "I just can't live like this. I care for you, Cloud. You know that much. You can always come to me if you have any problems. We'll help each other out."

"So, this is truly final, then?" Cloud said coldly.

"Yes." Tifa replied, "I will say my good-byes later."

Cloud nodded and proceeded outside, climbing up to the roof again. Tifa fell upon the bed, unable to fight the tears back any longer. She buried her face in the security of her pillow, trying to keep her cries muffled. She glanced up once, to stare at the moon that rested just outside the window. Tifa sat up slightly and wiped her face with the back of her glove. She sighed and forced herself up, quickly gathering the last of her things.

She lifted the suitcase up and made her way out the door, taking one last look inside before closing the door behind her. She then looked up to see Cloud staring up at the now cloudy sky and sighed, shaking her head. She turned toward the inn and began walking through the streets. She knew he was not going to follow her and join AVALANCHE. Fighting that fact any longer would be a waste of energy. She would just have to let him go. As much as she did not want to.

Morning came in shades of dull gray. Barret, Tifa, Cid, and Yuffie were met outside by Caith Sith, ready and willing to head out for the next town. Cloud walked out and said his good-byes then turned to go up Mt. Nibel. Tifa sighed, wanting to go after him, but Vincent shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder. Tifa handed Caith Sith her suit case reluctantly then nodded to Barret.

"Awright, we'll leave as soon as everyone is ready. Don't take forever neither, I ain't got all day." He instructed.

"No one will be going anywhere." A voice rose up from the gate.

The group turned to see a young man, looking no older than fifteen, standing before them in a black suit and tie, his red hair shimmering in the light of the dim sky. Barret stepped forward, forcing the group back.

"An' who are you to be ordering us around?" Barret snapped.

The boy grinned and brushed his bangs from his face. "I'm called Gilgam. I'm a lead operative in a secret Materia seeking organization. We hunt out powerful materia and add them to our, 'collection' if you will."

"We don't have any materia." Tifa said bluntly, stepping forward. "So why stop us?"

"You see, you may not hold any valuable materia upon your person, but one of you hold the key to finding the rarest of all." Gilgam explained. "Our sources say that the man we seek lies in your group. You are AVALANCHE, are you not?"

"Yeah, but what that got to do with anything?" Barret growled.

"Don't hide him from us." Gilgam said calmly as he closed his eyes. "I am prepared to search this entire village. You would not want any harm to come to the village, would you?"

"You ass hole!" Yuffie shouted.

Gilgam grinned and then raised his left hand, "Last chance."

"Look, we don't know what the hell you're talking about." Barret stated.

"Too late." Gilgam said as he snapped his fingers.

Within second, seven people wearing similar suits as Gilgam rushed through the gates and began breaking down doors. Five stayed inside the town, two rushed toward the mountain path. Barret turned to the group and shook his head.

"We gotta stop 'em." He said. "It's our job."

"Right!" Yuffie said with a grin.

"Tifa. Vincent. You two need to get Cloud. We gonna need his ass down here." Barret whispered.

"We're on it." Tifa answered with a grin. "Just be careful down here."

"No problem." Barret said with a grin before returning his gaze to the men.

Tifa and Vincent took off toward the mountain path just as Barret let off five shots at the men. Yuffie managed to get three of the five on her while Caith Sith worked on pulling them from her onto him. Cid puffed on his cigarette for a moment before jumping in.

"Fighting us will cost you dearly." Gilgam explained calmly, his voice gentle.

"Apparently you've never fought AVALANCHE." Barret shouted with a grin.

Meanwhile, up on the path, Cloud slowly made his way up the winding path, a trip that was not foreign to him and was soothing to his thoughts. The only time he felt truly alone. A soft rumble rose, causing Cloud to gaze up into the dark clouds above him. Nibelheim had not seen a storm in a while. Cloud returned his gaze to the ground and continued up the path for several steps until the sound of footsteps rushing from behind him caught his attention. He stopped and turned to see two people in suits behind him.

"Sir, we are going to have to have to ask you to return to town immediately." One man said quickly.

"And why is that?" Cloud asked.

The second operative drew a gun and pointed the barrel at Cloud. "You just have to."

"Heh, mind telling me what this is about?"

"We are searching for someone." The first officer said.

"Really? A fugitive?" Cloud asked coldly.

"Some what. He has some information that is vital to our cause." The second officer stated.

"Hmm, about what? It can't be that bad."

The first man drew a gun and pointed it at Cloud. "He knows about a certain materia that our group is looking for. We have been hunting it for nearly two years now and managed to dig up that the current target knows the location."

"I see." Cloud walked between the two officers, heading down the path toward Nibelheim. "Hope you find your,"

"Cloud!" Tifa's voice rang out from the path below.

Cloud spun around to see Tifa and Vincent rushing toward him. He glanced back to see the two officers rest their fingers on the trigger.

"Cloud? He's the one!" The first officer shouted.

Tifa rushed forward and used Cloud as a springboard to flip over him and land only feet away from the two soldiers. The first one dropped his aim toward Tifa just as she entered a roundhouse kick. The man did no move, simply allowed her to follow through. He jumped, dodging her leg then flung his gun to the side. The second officer moved to the ledge, gun still aimed at Cloud.

"Cloud," Vincent blurted out, "there are more of them in the village. I do not know how long Barret and the others can last." Vincent paused for a moment, his red eyes scanning over the two people before him. "They are not normal."

"Damn." Cloud growled. "Well, we'll have to take care of these two first."

"Right!" Tifa said as she rose to her feet.

Vincent drew his gun, while walking forward to stand by Tifa, and bowed his head, "Fine with me."

Cloud walked to the other side of Tifa and looked to them both with a nod. "Let's do this."

"Ha!" The first officer laughed. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

The second officer shook her head. "Don't get cocky."

The first officer pulled a small blade from his boot and laughed, "I'll kill them myself."

"Shit," The second officer muttered as she quickly drew out what looked like a communicator. "Lord Gilgam, Regis, he's,"

Within seconds, the first officer had moved and sliced open his partner's throat. Tifa backed up in shock while Cloud cracked his knuckles. Vincent shook his head but did not move.

"I'll kill you all!" The man shouted.

Vincent lifted his gun, "Pointless."

The man made a mad dash toward Cloud. Vincent fired but the man seemed to turn into a mist just as the bullet neared him. Tifa snapped herself out of the shock and proceeded to charge after the man. Cloud braced himself, trying hard to keep to his ties. The man swung at Cloud, the blade a blur. What little light the day had reflected off the blade's edge, almost hypnotic. For a split second, Cloud saw Sephiroth as he fell down from the sky, blade ready. There, before his eyes, the image of a girl. She looked up to him.

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted, drop-kicking the back of Cloud's knee to make him fall.

The blade sliced through the air where Cloud's head had been. Cloud looked to Tifa quizzically then to Vincent who had repositioned.

"Snap out of it!" She demanded.

"What?" Cloud asked as he jumped to his feet.

Vincent fired again, managing to land one bullet in the man's right leg just above his knee. The man growled and fell onto the ground. Vincent walked over to the man and aimed down, the barrel only inches from the man's head. The man lifted the knife to slice at Vincent's legs just as Vincent pressed down the trigger. With a loud bang, the man's head erupted, covering the mountain as well as the three fighters.

"Keep your head straight." Vincent said sternly as he made his way down toward the town.

Cloud followed after Vincent with Tifa only steps behind him. They had to hurry, smoke was beginning to rise from the town below. Cloud hoped that this was not another illusion. He could not bear to relive the incidents of the past, not without help at any rate.


	3. Chapter 3

--DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy VII, as well as all Final Fantasy titles, does not belong to me in any shape, way, or form. Most of the characters and all aspects of the world are from the original game and belong to Squaresoft/Square-Enix. It is from the bottom of my heart that I thank them for creating such a massive game with such an addictive storyline and lovable characters which is what drew me to finally write this story.--

Chapter Three

Down below the towering mountain, the town of Nibelheim-once peaceful-was now filled with pandemonium as the conflict between AVALANCHE and a mysterious materia hunting organization continued to do battle among the fleeing villagers. Yuffie and Cait Sith worked to keep their three busy, however, this ploy did not hold for long as one of the officers launched a fire attack, catching one of the homes on fire. Villagers scrambled through the streets, fleeing the town and leaving everything behind in their wake as the officers showed no mercy in killing anyone that stood in their way. Yuffie flung her pinwheel at the female officer than was still in pursuit of her; the shuriken spiraled toward its target almost silently but was knocked away with a thunder blast from the officer's gun.

"Damn!" Yuffie cussed sharply under her breath as she leapt onto a stack of crates and up onto a balcony to catch her weapon.

The female officer palmed her gun for a moment, looking up at Yuffie as she continued up onto the roof before shouting, "You're pretty good. You're clothes look familiar, where are you from?"

Yuffie spun the large shuriken around on her before replying, "None of your business!"

"Rather cocky." The woman said slyly as she slid her left hand over the barrel of her gun. "You are mistaken to cross us."

Yuffie looked closely to see that there were three materia wedged in the gun's barrel. She screened it trying to figure out which ones the girl had just as Cait Sith's voice rang out through the roar of combat.

"Aaah!!" Cait Sith shouted as he narrowly dodged gunfire.

Yuffie quickly glanced away just as the officer activated a materia. "Cait Sith! Look out!"

A white circle appeared below him and a clock face illuminated the ground for just a second, freezing him in his place. The officer laughed only for a moment as she turned the gun to Yuffie and fired three consecutive shots. Yuffie returned her attention in time to block two but the third grazed her right shoulder, knocking her off balance and sent her rolling backwards down the length of the roof before landing in a small shrub bush on the ground. The officer looked to the one of her partners that was working on capturing Cait Sith.

"Don't worry with the doll!"

The man looked up, wiping sweat from his brow while brushing his black hair to the side. "You're one to talk, Becky."

Just before Becky could reply, a man walked up to them with a large polearm over his shoulder. Becky and her partner watched as he twirled the large weapon off of his shoulder and stood with the blade pointed between them.

"Y'all made me waste my last pack of smokes an' I don't appreciate the inhospitality." The man said with a sneer.

The male officer pulled out his communicator and pressed a button. "This is getting interesting for just a kidnapping."

"Who are you?" Becky inquired.

The man grinned, "Guess I owe ya that courtesy. Gonna be the last thing ya hear before I skewer the both of ya." The man grasped the polearm and shifted his weight to his left leg and pushing forward to charge. "The name's Cid!"

Meanwhile, Barret stood facing Gilgam near the town gates and with every shot Barret took it seemed the angrier he became. Gilgam, although seemingly normal, was capable of dodging all of Barret's attacks with ease. Every motion seemed effortless and the thought that Gilgam may be toying with Barret did not help matters.

"Why don' you hold still and take it like a man!" Barret shouted as he unleashed another onslaught of bullets.

Gilgam slid his left hand allowing a blade almost five inches long to slip into his hands from his sleeve as he replied, "I will only say this one last time, let my team retrieve the target and we will leave."

"Like hell I will!" Barret shouted as he aimed his gun-arm at the man.

Gilgam shook his head, his long red bangs sliding across his face. "Suit yourself."

Gilgam shifted his weight onto his right foot as he prepared to attack Barret when something landed a firm hit onto his right cheek. The force of the blow was so strong and was performed without notice which sent him flying to the side, skidding across the ground. When Gilgam glanced up to see what had attacked him, he saw the figure of a girl with long, dark brown hair running over to Barret.

"Barret, are you alright?" She asked Barret as he wiped the sweat from his face.

"I'm awright, Tifa. You find him?"

Tifa nodded. "Yes. He should still be with Vincent."

Barret looked over at Gilgam who was getting to his feet and smiled, "Tables are turnin'. Looks like you ain't invincible after all. Haw haw!"

Gilgam spat some blood from his battered jaw, "If you think you've won because you gained some help," he said as he raised his blade to them, "you're mistaken."

Across from the gate, close to Shinra Manor, Cloud was having problems of his own. Before him stood a man in uniform but his body was built so massively that the man appeared to be as large as a mountain; his arms were bigger than Cloud's head and the man's torso was large enough to fit two of him comfortably. In the man's large hands was possibly the biggest pick Cloud had ever seen.

"Target found." The heavy man spoke, his voice booming over the roar of flames that had covered part of the village.

Cloud looked around him, hoping to find a way through but, before he could think, the man swung, hitting Cloud's right side and sending him crashing into the side of the mountain. Pain shot through him as he slowly slid down the rocky ridge and back onto the ground. He felt the heavy hands grab him up and toss him across into the iron gates of Shinra Manor, the gates caving under him as he landed. Cloud struggled to roll over onto his stomach, he had to get to his feet and get away from this monster.

_No way that this guy is human_. ~ He thought to himself as he slowly, and painfully, pushed up from the ground.

"What a pathetic target?" The man said suddenly, "I was told you were a threat. How pitiful can it get?"

"Just remember," another man's voice said suddenly, "Gilgam said not to kill him. Beat him up enough to take him into custody."

"I know. He's just squishy now. Hardly worth my efforts, should have stayed at the base." The large man said with annoyance.

"Huh," the other man said as he watched Cloud struggle to his feet, "odd, our reports say he use to work for Shinra. He should be tougher than this."

"Wrong person, you think?"

The smaller officer stopped to think for a moment when gunshots rang out suddenly. "What was that?"

The large man looked around, "Friendly fire?"

Cloud grasped onto the remaining portions of the fence to stand just as more gunshots were let out. "That...doesn't sound...good."

"Kin, capture him and let's," the man began but was cut off as a bullet left a tunnel through his skull.

Kin watched as the smaller officer fell to the ground, blood pouring from the newly opened orifice in his face. "Niku!"

Cloud watched through the surging pains as the large man began charging for him. The pick swung to the side as he charged, Kin was going to scoop and swing, leaving Cloud little room to retaliate. Pushing off of the gate, Cloud forced himself to stand on his own as the man drew ever closer with each heavy step. It was then that a flurry of gunfire was let out and bullets rained down from the dark sky. Kin lifted his pick, blocking most of the bullets from landing but those that did pierce him did not seem to slow him down. Cloud pulled out one of the steel pipes from the fence and charged, hoping that with the rain of bullets as cover, Kin would not be able to swing that heavy pick.

As Cloud moved in, the pressure from his bruised ribs began to blur his vision. Each step that Kin took seemed to shake the ground, making each of Cloud's steps even more unsteady. Sadly, Cloud's hopes were shattered as Kin began to swing the pick down toward him. Cloud, forgetting about his injuries, dove to the side as the massive weapon smashed the ground. Cloud was quickly reminded of his injuries when he landed on the ground and rolled to his knees, the pain in his ribs caused his body to begin shaking. Kin looked up to see a dark figure staring down at him from the top of a nearby building, red eyes glowing menacingly as if windows to Hell itself.

Cloud looked up and winced, "V-Vincent."

Kin directed his assault to the man on the roof, leaving Cloud at his back.

"Another AVALANCHE ant coming to play? Feh! I'll take you out and make my job easier." Kin said with a scowl as he stood ready to attack.

Vincent raised his gun, his eyes showing no change in emotion, "What a waste of time?"

Kin shouted to the figure, "You gonna stand there or you gonna fight!?"

Vincent leapt from his perch and stood several feet away from Kin, his gun grasped firmly in his hand. "If it is a fight you seek, you have come to the wrong place."

"You a poet or something!?" Kin laughed.

"No." Vincent spoke as he lifted the gun up, barrel firmly aimed at Kin. "Make your move."

"You serious? You must think you're some hot shot." Kin lifted the pike again, not noticing that Cloud was repositioning himself. "Fine. You want to die so badly, I'll help you out."

Unwavering, Vincent stood his ground as the monstrous man charged forward. His eyes met with Kin's gaze only once, triggering him to fire. The bullet released from its prison and hit the cold air with a loud crack as it pierced Kin's left shoulder, wedging itself firmly into the bone. The shock of the blow slowed Kin down only for a moment, but that was all that was needed for Cloud to catch up and thrust the iron pike into Kin's back. Cloud felt hope swelling up in him after successfully finishing his attack but it went away when Kin began to laugh.

"You think that is going to do some damage, eh?" Kin began, quickly pivoting his torso to strike at Cloud. "You haven't scratched the surface yet!"

Cloud flew backwards skidding across the ground while Vincent leapt over Kin, landing a few feet away from Cloud.

"Ugh, wh-what is this guy?" Cloud winced as he forced himself up.

Vincent flung his cloak over his shoulder, "Cloud, find the others. I will handle him."

Cloud looked at Vincent for a moment, "What?"

"Go help the others." Vincent said coldly, his gaze not leaving Kin's form, "I will handle him."

Cloud knew trying to argue Vincent's decision would only make matters worse, so–regretfully- he nodded to Vincent and began rushing toward the center of Nibelheim. Kin glared at Vincent, his eyes flickering orange like fire.

"You should feel happy, I don't normally use this much of my power."

Vincent stared at him. "All talk."

Back in town, Cid and Yuffie were split up. Becky's partner played as a decoy, kept Cid busy while Becky continued her pursuit of Yuffie. A quick series of shots ensured that one bullet struck Yuffie's right thigh. In pain, Yuffie continued to fight back, hoping to buy the team enough time to get Cloud to safety. Yuffie threw her pinwheel at Becky only to watch as it was deflected with another thunderbolt.

"Give up, girl." Becky said in a laugh.

"Never!" Yuffie huffed as she caught the weapon, "No one can take me out!"

Becky fired another shot; lightning shielded the bullet's path as it flew by Yuffie. The electricity burned her skin but not much, however, it was enough of a distraction to allow Becky enough time to get in close range. Yuffie realized her mistake when Becky slapped Yuffie with the barrel of the gun, knocking her backwards a few steps before returning the gun to its holster and entering in with a flurry of punches. Yuffie managed to recollect her position after having her shuriken knocked from her hands and began blocking the blows.

Becky twisted her torso to avoid Yuffie's onslaught of counters, grabbing her holster again to trigger a flame blast that separated the two of them. Yuffie caught her balance and noticed that the blast had also hit Becky.

_Stupid people that don't understand materia shouldn't use them. ~_ Yuffie thought with a smirk.

Becky brushed her face off on her tattered sleeve before saying, "You're tougher than you look, shrimp."

Yuffie leapt into the sky, the flickering flames and vast columns of smoke made her almost invisible in the air. Becky scanned the surrounding area only to let her guard falter. Yuffie landed behind her and grabbed Becky's arm, twisting it and pushing her to the ground. Becky struggled to free herself but Yuffie placed her weight forward between Becky's shoulder blades.

"Now talk!" Yuffie began, however, the pressure of a blow on her left side knocked her away, freeing Becky from the hold.

Yuffie looked up to see that it was the man from earlier that had been chasing Cait Sith, "W-Where's Cid?" She stammered as she struggled to her feet.

The man held his right shoulder, "Becky, we have confirmation. The target is in the town."

"HEY! Answer me!" Yuffie shouted. "I don't like being ignored!"

Becky dusted herself off, "Good, we'll just fix the girl here and go after the target."

"You're getting sloppy." The man said as he turned his back to Becky, "I'm afraid that I can't do that."

Becky looked at the man, puzzled, "What was that?"

The man did not reply. He simply stood there, motionless, a statue among the dancing flames in a land riddled with chaos. Yuffie stood up, watching the scene unfold before her eyes.

"Chase! What are you saying-" Becky shouted but was cut off by a blast of thunder from the heavens. The energy surging from it shook the ground and even seemed to shake Yuffie's heart. Becky fell to the ground; Yuffie could not believe what she had just witnessed.

The man glanced over his shoulder and said, "Gilgam's request was to only keep soldiers that held their own weight. You failed."

"T-The hell!" Yuffie shouted in pain as her leg throbbed under her own weight. "She was on your side! Why did you kill her!?"

A hand grabbed Yuffie's shoulder as she attempted to charge forward. "Don't waste yer energy on him. He's not worth the struggle."

"Cid! He doesn't deserve to live!" Yuffie exclaimed, "He doesn't deserve to see the light of day!"

"He's coming." Chase said with a smirk as he held out his left hand, electricity emanating off of his arm and down to his palm.

Back at the town gate, Gilgam, Barret, and Tifa were still exchanging blows and insults with little delay. Tifa had managed to get in more blows than Barret, being close range, but Gilgam was not an easy target to deal with.

"I'll never forgive you!" Tifa shouted as she continued her flurry of attacks.

Gilgam caught Tifa's hand and pulled her forward, side-stepping before releasing his grip on her. "This village's casualties are on your own heads."

Barret charged in attempting to ram into Gilgam while Tifa reversed the counter that Gilgam had begun. Gilgam managed to dodge Barret but the move left him open and Tifa performed the Dolphin Kick which sent him flying backwards. It was at that point that a massive thunderbolt struck the village in the distance; the shockwave pulsed through Tifa's body and rattled Barret's gun-arm.

Gilgam began to laugh. "He's finally arrived."

"What'chu talkin' 'bout!?" Barret snapped.

Tifa looked in the direction of the thunderbolt, her eyes wide as she said, "Cloud."

"He's in town." Gilgam stood up and pressed a strange object that was wedged in his sleeve cuff. "Time to collect."

Barret turned to fire just as Gilgam charged forward, the blade in his hands sliding across the end of Barret's gun. Sparks flew up into Barret's face, the desired effect, as Gilgam slid into Tifa's side, knocking her off balance. He charged into the town toward the contact point of the thunderbolt. Tifa, having regained her balance, began after him.

Cloud entered the town streets to see Yuffie, Cid, and a frozen Cait Sith standing before a strange man with dark hair. He looked over Yuffie to see that she had sustained many injuries. His eyes fell, then, upon Cid, who seemed tired and fatigued. Cait Sith, as annoying as he was, had fallen under the Time Materia's spell, Stop. Cloud knew the spell would give in time but that, for the moment, the new Cait Sith statue was fine. It was then that his eyes fell on the fallen girl between the groups before finally landing upon and locked onto the man.

"What's going on here?" Cloud said, doing his best to hide the pain from his shattered rib cage.

"That would be my cue." Another male voice rose from the darkness as a figure with red hair landed before them.

Yuffie snarled at the man, shifting her stance to attack only to be stopped by the firm grip of Cid on her injured shoulder. Within moments, Tifa came charging through with Barret several steps behind. Both of them were battered and bruised but neither of them had been dealt a fatal blow.

"Chase," the red-haired man spoke, "you did well. I'm impressed."

The dark-haired man bowed, "Thank you, Lord Gilgam, sir."

Gilgam looked at Cloud and smiled. "How I've waited to find the keeper of secrets? Cloud Strife, I presume?"

"Who wants to know?" Cloud replied sharply.

Chase looked to see a man in red walking up to the crowd and scowled. "More company, sir. I think Kin has failed."

"No." Gilgam remarked. "He was called back. As are you, Chase."

"Goi, what's going on around here?" Cait Sith's voice rang out suddenly.

"My business is with Cloud, not with any of you." Gilgam stated as he walked forward. "I'll make this simple so not to waste anymore precious time."

Cloud did not move. Vincent walked behind the crowd and stood silent even after the question filled gazes of AVALANCHE fell upon his person.

"What do you want?"

Gilgam stood straight, his eyes not wavering from Cloud's glowing stare. "I want to know where you hid the materia years ago. If you tell me, you will never have to see this bloodshed again." He motioned his hand to the town around them.

Cloud's head drooped, his shoulders began to shake with rage, "You came here," he began, "you destroyed my home. You took many lives away. You hurt my friends." He reared his right arm back and let his knuckles slide firmly against Gilgam's jaw, knocking Gilgam back a step. "All this hell created for something as worthless as information about materia!?" Chase raised his hand to use his materia again but was stopped by Gilgam. Tifa looked shocked at Cloud's sudden outburst as Cloud continued. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Gilgam spat some blood from his busted lip to the ground, "You can't hide it. You know the materia we seek. A materia so strong, so mysterious, that it holds the key to the hearts of man. A materia capable of granting unlimited power to its wielder and, perhaps, even capable of granting any wish. Somewhat like a Genie Materia. The name is unknown. Its origin is riddled with mystery. It is the materia we seek and the one that our sources say you, Cloud Strife, were the last to see its glow."

Cloud looked at him coldly. "Nothing like that exists!"

Gilgam flicked his wrists to reveal twin blades as they slid into his palms. "Then I'll have to take you with me."

Cloud shook his head. "I'm not letting you leave here alive. You'll feel the pain that these people have felt since you arrived. That fear, I will put into you!"

"Hey, Cloud." Vincent's voice rose from the crackling flames. "You may need this." He said as he braced the massive Buster Sword up, the tip gouged into the charred earth.

Cloud walked over to Vincent and grasped the hilt. The weight of the sword leaning into his palm as Vincent released his grip and walked away. The pain in Cloud's ribs would make using the Buster Sword difficult. Cloud looked around at his hometown, once again, covered in flames.

_Unforgivable. _~ He thought as he pulled together all of his strength to lift the sword.

Gilgam began to laugh, "You want to fight back? Let's see how much rust is on that old sword of yours."

Cloud pointed the edge of the Buster Sword at Gilgam, his eyes filled with pain and determination, "There is none."

Tifa stepped forward to try and stop Cloud but Barret pulled her back. She struggled against his firm grip with no success. Yuffie watched closely at Cloud's movements, picking up that there was something wrong with him. She tried to tell Cid what she saw but Cid refused to listen to her. She turned to Vincent who simply stared ahead. Annoyed at the lack of attention she had received she huffed and returned her gaze to the battlers ahead of them.

Gilgam slid his left heel slightly back, "I'll make this quick."

"First strike." Cloud said suddenly.

"What?" Gilgam asked with a puzzled expression just as Cloud darted forward, the Buster Sword gliding only inches away from his head.

Gilgam blocked the flurry of slashes and thrusts enough to keep safe from harm but the power behind the Buster Sword was granted by its weight. Cloud slammed the sword down, feeling as the effort was caught by Gilgam's blades. Sliding his grip upon the Buster Sword, he shifted the blade to the side, sliding it along the dagger's length and pushing backwards. Gilgam caught his balance just as Cloud charged forward, jumping into the air and bringing the Buster Sword down ahead of him. Unable to block the strike, Gilgam dove backwards into a somersault.

Pain shot through Cloud's body, causing him to pause for a moment before being able to lift the sword up from the ground.

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted, trying her best to convince Barret's grip to release.

Gilgam rose to his feet, "You were right. There is no rust on that blade."

Cloud coughed, a little blood rose into his mouth. "D-damn."

Gilgam walked over to Cloud, watching as Cloud fell to one knee. "It would appear that you are covered in rust."

"This fight…has just…begun…" Cloud muttered as he slowly pushed to his feet, his body trying to cave under itself.

Gilgam paused and pulled out his communicator to see a flashing yellow light. His gaze moved to Cloud, now positioned to strike. Gilgam took a single step forward only to be met with the hellish gaze of Vincent.

"Stay…out of this…" Cloud heaved.

Vincent did not move. Instead, he locked gazes with Gilgam as if they were two feral animals. Tifa broke free from Barret and rushed over to Cloud's side. Yuffie followed. Gilgam closed the communicator and slid it back into its case on his belt. It was then that Chase spoke.

"We found a lead in another location. We're being called back, Lord Gilgam."

Gilgam glanced over his shoulder at Chase then returned his gaze to Vincent. "All right. We'll continue this later." He turned his back to the group and walked over to Chase. "You will tell us what you know when the time comes."

Cloud fell down to his knees, the Buster Sword pressed into the ground as a brace. He watched as the figures vanished into the darkness that slowly consumed his vision. His hearing was filled with the roars of the flames around him. Voices became muffled.

"Get these fires out now! We suppose to be protectin' the planet and its people!" Barret shouted.

"Cloud?" Tifa began. "Cloud!"


End file.
